Author: Steve Bicknell

Progressive Property Approved Accountant, Business Expert and Trainer/Speaker with Redcliffe Training, MBL Seminars and UK Training ►MD ► Bicknell Business Advisers ✸ family business providing accountancy, tax, and consultancy services to SME's and Start Ups - Xero, Sage One, QuickBooks, Freeagent, Kashflow, Hammock, Dext - Receipt Bank ✸ www.bicknells.net www.stevejbicknell.com

Working at Home – How can claim tax relief?

Working from Home Tax Relief

Tax Savings for Employees and business covering VAT, Home Costs and Equipment

Further information on the items discussed in the video

VAT Notice 700 – 32. Apportionment of tax between business and non-business activities

This section explains how to treat tax incurred on goods or services that are used only partly for business purposes

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/vat-guide-notice-700#apportionment-of-tax-between-business-and-non-business-activities

 

Claim tax relief for your job expenses

From 6 April 2020 your employer can pay you up to £6 a week (£26 a month) to cover your additional costs if you have to work from home. For previous tax years the rate is £4 a week (£18 a month).

You will not need to keep any records.

If you work at home voluntarily

If you’ve agreed with your employer to work at home voluntarily, or you choose to work at home, you cannot claim tax relief on the bills you have to pay.

 

https://www.gov.uk/tax-relief-for-employees/working-at-home

 

Simplified expenses if you’re self-employed

 

You can only use simplified expenses if you work for 25 hours or more a month from home.

Hours of business use per month Flat rate per month
25 to 50 £10
51 to 100 £18
101 and more £26

Example

You worked 40 hours from home for 10 months, but worked 60 hours during 2 particular months:

10 months x £10 = £100
2 months x £18 = £36

Total you can claim = £136

https://www.gov.uk/simpler-income-tax-simplified-expenses/working-from-home

Specific deductions: use of home: apportioning the expenditure

The factors to be taken into account when apportioning an expense include:

  • Area: what proportion in terms of area of the home is used for trade purposes?
  • Usage: how much is consumed? This is appropriate where there is a metered or measurable supply such as electricity, gas or water.
  • Time: how long is it used for trade purposes, as compared to any other use?

The method of apportioning an expense depends on the relative importance of each of these factors. There are examples at BIM47825.

https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/business-income-manual/bim47815

 

Claim capital allowances

 

You can claim capital allowances when you buy assets that you keep to use in your business, for example:

  • equipment
  • machinery

https://www.gov.uk/capital-allowances

Other Points to Consider

  • Capital Gains Tax
  • Planning Consent
  • Insurance
  • Business Rates
  • Benefit in Kind

 

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What is the Self Employed Income Support Scheme?

The scheme will allow you to claim a taxable grant of 80% of your average monthly trading profits, paid out in a single instalment covering 3 months, and capped at £7,500 altogether. This is a temporary scheme, but it may be extended.

If you receive the grant you can continue to work, start a new trade or take on other employment including voluntary work, or duties as an armed forces reservist.

The grant will be subject to Income Tax and self-employed National Insurance.

There is other support available if you’re not eligible for the grant.

HMRC will work out if you’re eligible and how much grant you may get.

Last week HMRC contacted all tax agents (accountants), here is what they said….

As an agent you won’t be able to make a claim on behalf of your clients.

Designing a scheme that enabled agents to apply on behalf of clients would have taken substantially longer to deliver, at a time when speed is the priority.

Instead, we have designed the scheme to be as simple as possible for customers to use, and we will calculate the amount a customer is entitled to based on the information we already hold.

How to use the checker

To use the online checker, your client or you, on their behalf, will need their Unique Taxpayer Reference Number and their National Insurance Number.

If your client is eligible, they will be given a date, between 13 and 18‌‌ May, from which they can apply. This date is assigned randomly to help HMRC manage demand on the service, making sure that everyone who needs to make a claim can do so.

Your client will also be asked to provide their Government Gateway credentials (user ID and password) and check that their bank and contact details are up to date. This is important so that we can we can remind them by email or text message when it’s their turn to make a claim.

If your client doesn’t have Government Gateway credentials, they can set those up simply if they follow our guidance and use the SEISS eligibility checker. There will be no requirement for customers to wait for pins or codes through the post.

So it vitally important that you get a Gateway account with HMRC if you are self employed.

steve@bicknells.net

What are Government Backed Business Bounce Back Loans?

Small businesses will benefit from a new fast-track finance scheme providing loans with a 100% government-backed guarantee for lenders, the Chancellor announced today (Monday 27 April).

Rishi Sunak said the new Bounce Back Loans scheme, which will provide loans of up to £50,000, would help bolster the existing package of support available to the smallest businesses affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

The scheme has been designed to ensure that small firms who need vital cash injections to keep operating can get finance in a matter of days, and comes alongside the £6 billion awarded in business grants, supporting 4 million jobs through the job retention scheme and generous tax deferrals supporting hundreds of thousands of firms.

The government, which has been consulting extensively with business representatives about the design of the new scheme, will provide lenders with a 100% guarantee for the loan and pay any fees and interest for the first 12 months. No repayments will be due during the first 12 months.

The loans will be easy to apply for through a short, standardised online application. The loan should reach businesses within days- providing immediate support to those that need it as easily as possible.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/small-businesses-boosted-by-bounce-back-loans/?

steve@bicknells.net

VAT Deferral – Act Now

VAT payment deadline calculator

Paying by direct debit for the Quarter January to March or the month of March 2020

The date the money will be taken from your account is Wednesday 13 May 2020.

Cancel by Thursday 30 April 2020 (5 working days before the filing deadline Thursday 7 May)

steve@bicknells.net

How we are helping clients to claim the Coronovirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS)

The government have published new guidance

There’s now updated guidance on how to calculate your claim and a simple step-by-step guide.

There will also be a calculator available when the system goes live on Monday for you to check your calculations online before you make your claim.

 

General information about the scheme
• To be eligible for CJRS an employer must agree with the employee that they are
a ‘furloughed worker’.
• Employees must be notified that they have been furloughed.
• Employees must be furloughed for a minimum of three weeks.
• The employee cannot do any work for the employer that has furloughed them.
• You can claim 80% of wages up to a maximum of £2,500 per month per furloughed employee.
• A separate claim is needed for each PAYE scheme.
• You can only claim for furloughed employees that were on your PAYE payroll on or before
19 March 2020.
• An RTI submission notifying payment in respect of that employee to HMRC must have been
made on or before 19 March 2020.
• You must have a UK bank account.

 

Watch our Video to find out how we are helping our clients to make claims

Check our website for all the latest information on government support and get free downloadable guides

https://www.bicknells.net/covid-19

steve@bicknells.net

Government cash grants for charities

Charities across the UK will receive a £750 million package of support to ensure they can continue their vital work during the coronavirus outbreak, tens of thousands of charities will benefit from direct cash grants to ensure they can meet increased demand as a result of the virus as well as continuing their day-to-day activities supporting those in need.

 

Highlights:

  • £750 million available for frontline charities across the UK – including hospices and those supporting domestic abuse victims
  • £360 million direct from government departments and £370 million for smaller charities, including through a grant to the National Lottery Community Fund
  • government will match donations to the National Emergencies Trust as part of the BBC’s Big Night In fundraiser later this month – pledging a minimum of £20 million

 

As part of a UK-wide package of support, £360 million will be directly allocated by government departments to charities providing key services and supporting vulnerable people during the crisis.

 

Charities providing vital services and helping vulnerable people through the current crisis will benefit from the £360 million allocated by government departments. These will include:

  • hospices to help increase capacity and give stability to the sector
  • St Johns Ambulance to support the NHS Victims charities, including domestic abuse, to help with potential increase in demand for charities providing these services
  • vulnerable children charities, so they can continue delivering services on behalf of local authorities
  • Citizens Advice to increase the number of staff providing advice during this difficult time

 

£370 million will be allocated for small and medium-sized charities, including through a grant to the National Lottery Community Fund for those in England, will support those organisations at the heart of local communities which are making a big difference during the outbreak, including those delivering food, essential medicines and providing financial advice.

The Chancellor also announced the Government will match fund whatever the public decides to donate to the BBC’s Big Night In charity appeal on 23 April, starting with a contribution of at least £20 million to the National Emergencies Trust appeal.

 

Departments will now work to identify priority recipients, with the aim for charities to receive money in the coming weeks. The application system for the National Lottery Community Fund grant pot is expected to be operational within a similar period.

Does your charity need help claiming or getting support?

How to Defer VAT – COVID-19

For VAT, the deferral will apply from 20 March 2020 until 30 June 2020.

 

All UK businesses are eligible. How to access the scheme

 

This is an automatic offer with no applications required. Businesses will not need to make a VAT payment during this period. Taxpayers will be given until the end of the 2020 to 2021 tax year to pay any liabilities that have accumulated during the deferral period. VAT refunds and reclaims will be paid by the government as normal.

 

Customers who normally pay by direct debit should cancel their direct debit with their bank if they are unable to pay. Please do so in sufficient time so that HMRC do not attempt to automatically collect on receipt of your VAT return.

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-employers-and-businesses-about-covid-19/covid-19-support-for-businesses

steve@bicknells.net

How to get Extra Time to File Accounts – COVID-19

Companies to receive 3-month extension period to file accounts

during COVID-19

Businesses will be given an additional 3 months to file accounts with Companies House to help companies avoid penalties as they deal with the impact of COVID-19.

From today (25 March 2020), businesses will be able to apply for a 3-month extension for filing their accounts.

This joint initiative between the government and Companies House will mean businesses can prioritise managing the impact of Coronavirus.

There are approximately 4.3 million businesses on the Companies House register, and all companies must submit their accounts and reports each year. Under normal circumstances, companies that file accounts late are issued with an automatic penalty.

As part of the agreed measures, while companies will still have to apply for the 3-month extension to be granted, those citing issues around COVID-19 will be automatically and immediately granted an extension. Applications can be made through a fast-tracked online system which will take just 15 minutes to complete.

To apply use this link https://www.gov.uk/guidance/apply-for-more-time-to-file-your-companys-accounts

When to apply

You can apply to extend your accounts deadline if you cannot send your accounts because of an event that’s outside of your control – for example, because of an unexpected illness or if a fire has destroyed company records a few days before your filing deadline.

How to apply

To apply online you’ll need:

  • your company number
  • information about why you need more time
  • any documents to support your applications (optional)

Why are you applying for an extension?

You can add more reasons later

Illness

COVID-19

Accounting issues

I’m applying for another reason

If your application is based on issues around COVID-19, you’ll be automatically and immediately granted a 3 month extension.

Extension reason

COVID-19

steve@bicknells.net